How can you get HIV?

HIV can only get passed when one of these fluids from a person with HIV gets into the bloodstream of another person – through broken skin, the opening of the penis or the wet linings of the body, such as the vagina, rectum or foreskin.

HIV cannot pass through healthy, unbroken skin.

The two main ways that HIV can get passed between you and someone else are:

through unprotected sex (anal or vaginal sex without a condom)

by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs (including steroids)